Reasons?

[guesswho]

It's getting closer to turkey season and my mind is starting to come out of hibernation.

I hear every year about gobblers that hang up. In your opinion what are some of the reasons they hang up? What would you think the number one reason is? No right or wrong answers just opinions. Plus I want to see if anyone is on the same train as me.

[ICDEDTURKES]

Ill take a stab..

1. Set up- Place he dont want to go or he can see your position and dont see squat. Most everything comes down to the tree you decide to back up against.
2. Hens- I dont mind henned up birds. But watching numerous birds in fields with hens.. You can pull birds from hens 40-50 yards they start to feel they are losing their hens they go back. You didnt get close enough to start.
3.. Spot- Alot of times you strike a bird he dont budge.. Or you call him so far he turns away gobbling only to gobble in one spot.. I think he has a spot he has bred hens ins, knows hens are close, has good visual reassurance of safety and he can be seen..

[MKW]

I think, most of the time, it's because people put their decoys too far out in front of them. If I used decoys, I'd be between the decoy and the approaching gobbler.

Seriously, I think it's a combination of bad set-up and calling at the wrong time.

Mike

[Hoobilly]

other jokers spooked and scared toms from the same spot you are calling from...and it could have been you from yesterday. lol

[Hognutz]

I believe that there are a few reasons for a gobbler to hang up.

1) I believe that they see or hear something that is not normal.

2) The terrain

3) Hens

4) The gobbler is used to displaying and having the hens come to him.

These are not in any kind of order. Just my humble opinion..Mike

[hookspur]

He'd rather stay where he's at, then go where you are.

[Hobie]

[quote="ICDEDTURKES"]Ill take a stab..

1. Set up- Place he dont want to go or he can see your position and dont see squat. Most everything comes down to the tree you decide to back up against.
[quote]
Have to agree with Tom with that choice
Was talking to MKW about this thread and told him that before I got on here

[timbrhuntr]

Reason 1 Its always our set up. If it works its good if not its bad
Reason 2 Its not the tree!! The tree has nothing to do with it. Now that I have a gobbler lounger I hardly ever sit with my back next to a tree
Reason 3 If I'm on the same train as you we are probably going the wrong way. Time to get off

[guesswho]

I agree that all these are good points and they do come into play a lot. I've seen them fly rivers and creeks, jump over a log, fly a fence or step through a fence ect. ect. if given enough time.

I'm good at convivncing myself of certain things, sometimes even if it doesn't make sense. I spend a lot of time in the spring in the woods and usually pay pretty close attention to whats going on around me. I have visually seen gobblers hang up for no apparent reason in the same spot or close to the same spot a couple days in a row and rufuse to take another step even with no visual obstacle in front of them and with live hens in sight, then all of a sudden they will just walk off. Day three I move to the other side and the bird comes in on a string without hesitation.

I have seen birds hang up for an hour gobbling, strutting and drumming, then all of a sudden they break and come on in but their demeanor has changed, no gobbling, strutting or anything and they have this oh crap approach like their scarred to death.

I have convinced myself that the pecking order can be a big obstacle. I think in some cases MacDaddy has drawn a line in the sand or in this case the turkey woods and certain birds are afraid to cross it. How far fetched does this seem to some of you? Be honest, if you think its a load of crap say so.

I'm trying to convince myself it couldn't possibly be my calling.

[ICDEDTURKES]

Speaking of creeks, fences, ditches etc.. The stupidest thing I have ever had a gobbler hang up on was a shadow.. I was setup with a large hill with pines to the east.. The sun had cast a shadow to a fence line approx 100 yards away.. Three times the SOB, came over a small rise S to N strutting and gobbling, got to the exact start of the shadow and turned around.. Needless to say this did not happen a fourth time.. When he proceeded over the rise, I busted ass to the edge of the shadow called him back and missed.

Not discounting your theory ronnie.. But this bird did not have dominance issues.. This spot was frequented by 3 strutting birds.. This joker moved in shortly after. The three amigos disappeared.. This bird crossed the street 10 feet in front of the vehicle the day before and had long hooked spurs.

With the manner in which he approached I am totally convinced it was the shadow.. I have seen birds in the past on field edges strut around a large decending shadow from a tree.

[aristico]

Speaking of creeks, fences, ditches etc.. The stupidest thing I have ever had a gobbler hang up on was a shadow.. I was setup with a large hill with pines to the east.. The sun had cast a shadow to a fence line approx 100 yards away.. Three times the SOB, came over a small rise S to N strutting and gobbling, got to the exact start of the shadow and turned around.. Needless to say this did not happen a fourth time.. When he proceeded over the rise, I busted ass to the edge of the shadow called him back and missed.

Not discounting your theory ronnie.. But this bird did not have dominance issues.. This spot was frequented by 3 strutting birds.. This joker moved in shortly after. The three amigos disappeared.. This bird crossed the street 10 feet in front of the vehicle the day before and had long hooked spurs.

With the manner in which he approached I am totally convinced it was the shadow.. I have seen birds in the past on field edges strut around a large decending shadow from a tree.

I guess he showed you....going into shadows is bad luck

[Roy]

I think they become call shy sometimes. Not all the time, but it does happen I believe. I know there is alot of opinions on this. I guess the main reason I believe this is my grandpa always talked/talks about it.

[MKW]

Turkeys do not like to enter the set-up of a hunter unless he is a card toting member of the NWTF. Only the best turkey hunters can kill turkeys without being an active member. Statistics clearly show that Diamond Life Members kill the vast majority of gobblers every spring.


Mike

[timbrhuntr]

Ouch and are you kissin Gobblers

[MKW]

Ouch and are you kissin Gobblers

Nope, just pickin at Ronnie...I have no use for the NWTF in it's current state.

Mike

[hawglips]

I have convinced myself that the pecking order can be a big obstacle. I think in some cases MacDaddy has drawn a line in the sand or in this case the turkey woods and certain birds are afraid to cross it. How far fetched does this seem to some of you? Be honest, if you think its a load of crap say so.

Glad to hear you say this. It's something folks rarely talk about...

I don't know if it's the biggest obstacle or not, but I do think the pecking order is the most underrated factor that is typically considered in turkey hunting. However, my entire set up and calling approach is based on a belief in the dominant/subordinate reality (or at least my notion of what I think that 'reality' is ) that is a big part of a turkey's everday life in his resident flock. I think some folks take themselves entirely out of the game at times because they don't take that into consideration when they set up on and call to a turkey. As a result, I don't buy into one or two of the biggest turkey hunting cliches, such as how to handle a gobbler being "henned up." And rightly or wrongly, I attribute a very significant percentage of walk away gobbler problems to a pecking order issue. I think not only does the pecking order come into play in where a gobbler is willing to go, or whether he is willing to come in or not, but also comes into play in how much gobbling you hear or don't hear. It's not a black or white thing, and not something that happens the same way every given day, but something that comes into play nonetheless.

[guesswho]

Turkeys do not like to enter the set-up of a hunter unless he is a card toting member of the NWTF. Only the best turkey hunters can kill turkeys without being an active member. Statistics clearly show that Diamond Life Members kill the vast majority of gobblers every spring.


Mike

That explains a lot I need to get me one of them cards. I could borrow one from Gobblenut, I'm sure he has three or four extra's just laying around.

[timbrhuntr]

Ouch and are you kissin Gobblers

Nope, just pickin at Ronnie...I have no use for the NWTF in it's current state.

Mike

Ya I new that I was just sticken up for him as he can't always do it for himself

[guesswho]

I need all the help I can get.

[Turkey Talker]

a snake...a yote...a dead animal....a damn grasshopper will hang up a gobbler!!
like you said in an earlier post (which was the smartest thing i have ever hear you say on here)
"Birds dont Think, They React!!!

Well put man!

[chatterbox]

I agree with alot of what you guys are saying, and I think when we setup, maybe the reason why he hangs up is terrain features and fear. For whatever reason, he is terrified of the spot you are at. Maybe he got shot at in that spot, maybe he got his azz kicked by a dominant bird there, or he feels that when he's there, it's harder for him to be seen by hens.
Ronnie brings up a great point that he moved in the opposite direction, and the bird came in.
Go to where he wants to be, and your chances go way up.

[GobbleNut]

Turkeys do not like to enter the set-up of a hunter unless he is a card toting member of the NWTF. Only the best turkey hunters can kill turkeys without being an active member. Statistics clearly show that Diamond Life Members kill the vast majority of gobblers every spring.


Mike

Finally! Some sanity comes to the forum! Good to see somebody here really THINKS about these things!!!